America On The Fourth
By Howard Owens. Liked his photo of the guy on his porch by the flag.
Feel free to post links to photos you like or stories about the Fourth. One link per comment, or you will go to my spam folder, and I am on deadline, so it's not the best day for spam comment retrieval!
For me the 4th has always been an unlucky day. As a kid two years in a row I ended up in the emergency room, once with a broken jaw after a bike accident and once needing SIX root canals after drinking from a can of coke that got hit with a hard baseball line drive into the stands.
Eric at July 4, 2011 9:07 AM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2011/07/04/america_on_the.html#comment-2327082">comment from EricLet's hope you got all that out of your system early, Eric!
Amy Alkon at July 4, 2011 9:30 AM
So far, the best 4th of July post I've read in the past several years has been http://www.tomnaughton.com/?p=1018
Be sure to read all the way to the last paragraph.
TX CHL Instructor at July 4, 2011 10:07 AM
Posted this with the headline "Happy Independents Day" (as a commentary on celebrating being an independent (politically, socially, culturally, mentally and in business) and readers on the Facebook link are going nuts over the "misspelling."
http://thebatavian.com/howard-owens/photo-happy-independence-day/26869
Howard Owens at July 4, 2011 11:53 AM
NO pic to link, but my FIL is riding his harley today with his MCMC (marine corps motorcycle club) to escort a fallen soldier from the airport in Corpus to the funeral home. Can't imagine a more meaningful way to spend the day.
Wow, Eric, you've no manner of luck at all.
momof4 at July 4, 2011 11:53 AM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2011/07/04/america_on_the.html#comment-2327236">comment from momof4Wow, momof4. That's truly meaningful, what your FIL is doing. How sad.
Amy Alkon at July 4, 2011 12:00 PM
Here's a story: http://www.eclectipundit.com/2011/07/nangie-planned-it.html
Happy Fourth Amy! E.
E. at July 4, 2011 12:04 PM
Well on this 4th of July I'm celebratimg a new record. I broke my last record and got banned from a blog I stumbeld across in under 30 hours.
lujlp at July 4, 2011 12:44 PM
While my story isn't an Independence Day story -- it instilled in me a deep reverence for the ideal of America.
I was sent to the USAF Survival School in Washington state. We were the last class before they shut down for Christmas break that year. They drill into you the SERE concept -- Survival, Evasion, Resistance, Escape. They also hand you a pamphlet on the Code of Conduct. We were all types that included pilots, navs, crew chiefs, and just types that might end up in a plane on a regular basis doing this training.
Our class was lucky, in that we only had one day of rain for our week out in the field. The rest was either snow or clear days. The class before us came back in while we were still doing the classroom work for the survival portion of training. They had rain day and night for the week they were out. I think all but one of them just threw out their uniform they smelled so bad.
So we did out class room study and then went out for a week. Limited rations, to bed late, up early, having cold camps, etc. The last day consisted of the field survival portion was the evasion phase.
That was truly interesting. They had us evading through the woods hoping not to get caught. I was on a hillside -- being very quiet with my team mate. We watched a PJ go after some team who had left before us. He ran up the side of a 25% degree hill about 300 yards in seconds -- without a freakin thought. We were close enough to see what was going on but not get caught. They did a catch and release type system. They pointed out why you were nailed, delayed you about 15 minutes and then let you go. My team mate and I were nailed for not obscuring our tracks enough in the snow. Apparently we were one of the few teams to make it through with only one catch.
So we get back and have a weekend to recover then do the classroom portion for Resistance and Escape. They fail to inform you, directly, when are going out to the RE training area. We had a good clue from the prior class and our timing to Christmas. (Trust me, the trainers have their leave's planned out to the minute as well.) There were a few things that we were not allowed to have at all -- I won't detail them for training reasons -- and some that were allowed as attempted contraband (also know as trade goods).
We were then thrown onto a bus -- later in the evening -- driven around the base perimeter and dumped off with a quick scenario that we had just flown into a generic, not friendly, East European country.
The quick, not so friendly, interrogation at the point of an M-16 and flashlights late at night is not fun. After that they put a hood on you and march you a few miles to the camp.
The intake center is totally unique -- you're still wearing the hoods as you are strip searched and then get to put your clothes back on. The trainers are very good -- doing this about 45 weeks a year -- and get 98% of all the contraband.
They then put you in literal cubes -- either standing that there is no way to sit down, or lying down but you can't stretch out. They play noise all night that you can't truly sleep.
In the morning you are moved to the "general population". At that time of the year -- luckily you know everyone that is in the camp.
They then try to run "education" classes and other stuff including labor teams. You then make it through the day. The second day is similar to the first, including putting people in the hole for major or minor infractions.
At the end of the day -- they have you form up and give you a speech. They then have you do an about face and you see the Flag of the United States flying from the pole.
Nothing will ever leave such an impression on me again that I can think of.
Jim P. at July 4, 2011 5:24 PM
I just got back from the Liberty, MO Independence Day Parade. I always love doing the parades with the Submarine Veterans, but it's always more special on the 4th! It's so much different than it was in the 70's and 80's when I served, at least around here. We get cheers, people waving flags, and just a feeling that they appreciate what we did back then.
I'm always proud of being an American, but on days like this, it's especially meaningful!
Jim Armstrong at July 4, 2011 5:53 PM
I remember our Founding Fathers and the deep distrust they had of government, and of standing militaries.
The language regarding your right to bear arms and form well-regulated militias was meant as a bulwark against the need for permanent and large standing armies.
One Founding Father, George Mason (of the extreme right-wing university named after him) refused to sign the Constitution as it did not explicitly ban a standing army.
BOTU at July 4, 2011 6:43 PM
At Thanksgiving it is a family tradition to go around the table while we are eating and say what we are thankful for. On the 4th, we do the same, except the question is to tell why you are proud to be an American....my daughter said, "I love that you can be anything you want to be no matter what age you are." I like that!
kg at July 4, 2011 6:50 PM
I liked this article about celebrating the independence of our nation. Maybe a little subversive but for the better in my opinion.
http://www.3quarksdaily.com/3quarksdaily/2011/07/must-i-be-free.html
I'm thankful to be an American but I'm proud of my individual accomplishments in life. I'm just lucky to be an American.
Abersouth at July 4, 2011 7:01 PM
> the deep distrust they had of government,
> and of standing militaries.
This is starting to seem like something about something else, like how Ben-Davis is always so cranked about Teh Gay. Do you have a ne'er-do-well cousin who got thrown out of Fort Bragg for drinking beer on weekends, or something?
Crid at July 4, 2011 7:02 PM
.
"I abominate and detest the idea of a government, where there is a standing army."
- George Mason, The Debates in the Several State Conventions on the Adoption of the Federal Constitution, vol. 3, selected and revised by Jonathan Elliott (Philadelphia: Lippincott, 1836), p.379.
Crid-
My ne'er-do-well cousins couldn't even get into the Army. They can get into prison, though.
BOTU at July 4, 2011 7:13 PM
How come they aren't allowed to sit down and rest? That just seems mean.
Abersouth at July 4, 2011 7:24 PM
Crid,
I don't know if you were here when BOTU arrived. He's a troll.
How come they aren't allowed to sit down and rest? That just seems mean.
Its a part of learning about yourself. Know how and what you'll react to when tired, hungry and in adverse conditions.
That is why I can respect McCain's views while I disagree with his conclusions.
Jim P. at July 4, 2011 8:01 PM
I remember our Founding Fathers and the deep distrust they had of government, and of standing militaries.
Of which those still around changed their minds on after DC was set on fire by the British in 1814
The language regarding your right to bear arms and form well-regulated militias was meant as a bulwark against the need for permanent and large standing armies.
Acctually it was so the citizenry had the capability to overthrow the government just created, not to avoid a standing army, after all if they were truly against a national armed force they wouldnt have had a constitutional clause for the commisioning of a Navy and an Army. Read Article 1, Sec 8, clauses 12 & 13
Also, given the wonderful preformance of the raised milita in the War of 1812, where they generally refused orders to attack and attempted to do nothing more then defend their own limited geographical areas, allowing our capital to be ransacked and set aflame, Congress decided they needed more than a few thousand properly trained soilders who could acctually repel invaders
One Founding Father, George Mason (of the extreme right-wing university named after him) refused to sign the Constitution as it did not explicitly ban a standing army.
Posted by: BOTU
Acttually it was over a lack of readily defined state and indiviual rights in the face of federal powers. Plus he died before America was invaded so how knows whether or not he'd have switched his position on that
lujlp at July 4, 2011 8:38 PM
Sorry Jim. I meant my comment above to be a joke. As in why don't they let standing armies sit down once in awhile.
Abersouth at July 4, 2011 8:47 PM
Not a problem -- I tried to fit your comment to the narrative and didn't get the joke.
As far as a standing army -- it should be there. But it should be a corps. But the force we have now -- needs to have their liabilities paid for in the stand down.
Jim P. at July 4, 2011 9:15 PM
Founding Father, James Madison, heretofore a vocal opponent of standing armies, was president of the US at the time. Madison romantically believed that militiamen defending their homeland would always triumph over mercenary soldiers fighting for money.
Madison had spent the Revolution as a politician and missed the practical experience of Washington, Morgan, Hamilton, Greene, et al on the problems in using militia on a field of battle.
Believing he would easily triumph, Madison took direct command of the militia "defending" Washington. Upon the first British volley, the militia broke so quickly and ran so fast the "battle" became known as the "Bladensburg Races."
Somewhere in Maryland, while running for his life and praying his wife made it out of Washington in time, Madison rethought his views on the value of a professionally-trained standing army.
BTW, this marks the fourth or fifth time I've used this little bit of history to refute BOTU's "our forefathers distrusted a standing army so let's cut all military spending and only have a militia" trope.
When those same forefathers became president, most of them quickly found value in having a professionally-trained standing military.
During Washington's presidency, the Founding Fathers debated getting involved in the war between Britain and Revolutionary France. The debate wasn't whether to get involved, but which side to support.
Jefferson authorized a military academy at West Point, sent the new navy off to fight the pirates, and sent a military expedition to map the Louisiana Purchase.
Madison cast about the world, looking for a war the US could get involved in. He finally found one ... and almost blew it with a botched invasion of Canada and a failure to defend his own capital. New England states actually debated seceding from the union over "Madison's War."
So much for our peace-loving Founding Fathers.
Conan the Grammarian at July 5, 2011 1:31 PM
Only the resilience of the defenders of Fort McHenry in Baltimore prevented the British army from taking Baltimore and securing a foothold on the Eastern seaboard from which they would divide the country in half.
Witnessing that resilience against a furious British siege, Francis Scott Key was moved to write a poem he entitled, "The Stars Spangled Banner."
Conan the Grammarian at July 5, 2011 1:36 PM
The US Congress would not even give President Washington a standing Army. As President, in his first term, he had no Army, and in his second term, one of 1,500 souls.
Those were our Founding Fathers.
BOTU at July 5, 2011 5:23 PM
Gee, ya think the horrible defeat suffered by the militia at the Battle of Wabash had anything to do with the sudden willingness of Congress to prybar the wallet open to pay for a standing army?
Conan the Grammarian at July 5, 2011 7:24 PM
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